pen.books.and.scalpel

BOOK NAME: TIME SHELTER AUTHOR NAME: GEORGI GOSPODINOV (TRANSLATED FROM BULGARIAN BY ANGELA RODEL) GENRE: LITERARY FICTION PUBLISHER: HACHETTE BOOKS BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Time-Shelter-Georgi-Gospodinov-ebook/dp/B093GZBVMK BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW Let's end 2023 on a high note with a review of the book that deservingly won this year's International Booker Prize. I have been reading it in bits and pieces over a few weeks as it's highly informative and engaging (also a little too enigmatic) with its detailing and narration. As the self-explanatory title suggests, this book is based on the concept of time, place and memory. I would be lying if I said I completely understood the book. No, I did not. But I tried and may have been partly successful as well. I have tried to summarise the book from what I could grasp and hope it helps. Dr. Gaustine starts a clinic for patients with Alzheimer's disease where they get to travel to their past. Each room is ...

BOOK NAME: THE PARENTS I MET AUTHOR NAME: MANSI ZAVERI GENRE:  NONFICTION PUBLISHER: PENGUIN INDIA BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Parents-I-Met-Mansi-Zaveri/dp/0143459740 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW As the days keep sprinting towards the end of the year, so is my will to post reviews of the books I finished reading this year. Mansi Zaveri is the founder of the award-winning parenting platform kidstoppress.com. This book is an anthology of her tete-a-tete with the parents of personalities who made it big against all odds.  There can't be a parent who hasn't been overwhelmed by their methods of raising their kids at some point in their life. For most people, whether they should ever become a parent or not would remain a mystery. As much as it's a rewarding experience, parenthood also comes with its challenges.  This nonfiction is a saviour for those who find themselves in the above-mentioned situations. This book is a compilation of the parenting experienc...

BOOK NAME: BLOOD OF REVENGE - PURSUIT OF THE TRUTH IN DUBLIN'S GREY MAN AUTHOR NAME: KALITH GENRE: MURDER MYSTERY PUBLISHER: INK OF KNOWLEDGE BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Blood-Revenge-Pursuit-Truth-Dublins/dp/9358266546?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A133CVC5A9GJS7 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK BLURB Uncovers why some people seek revenge and how it can take over their lives. How does each and every character die except Farook, and what is the reason behind the truth? How Farook was accidentally involved in the two different revenge stories and how he escaped from the event Is killing a disliked person enough to make them stop being angry? This story may have some thought about it. BOOK REVIEW When this cute little book package arrived, I was impressed and excited by the author's note for the readers and the exclusive letter that comes with the book. The story is a murder mystery that explores the concept of revenge. This 40-page shor...

BOOK NAME: HOT STAGE - BOOK 3 OF THE BOREI GOWDA SERIES AUTHOR NAME: ANITA NAIR GENRE:  MURDER MYSTERY - POLICE PROCEDURAL PUBLISHER: HARPERCOLLINS INDIA  BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Hot-Stage-Anita-Nair/dp/9356995907 BLURB When elderly Professor Mudgood, a well-known rationalist and fervent critic of right-wing forces in India, is found dead in his home in Bangalore by his daughter, ACP Borei Gowda is quite certain that it is a homicide. Although all evidence points to the murder being politically motivated, the more Gowda delves into the case, the more convinced he is that it isn’t an assassination. As he and his team launch a parallel investigation, they stumble upon a secret and murky world where there are no rules or mercy. When Gowda’s hand is forced, he takes a calculated risk and infiltrates the sinister domain to bring the truth out into the open … Will he succeed? And at what price? BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW Elderly professor Mugdood is dead und...

Contrary to every other year, in 2023, the writer in me had a great time compared to the reader me—all thanks to the team of Blogchatter. If you are new to the world of blogging or have been living under a rock, Blogchatter is an open community for bloggers and readers, and they organise writing and reading challenges for its members. Blogchatter keeps motivating its writers and readers with badges and credit points that can be encashed. My journey with Blogchatter started in mid-2022, and it's been so great so far. I have had meaningful conversations with fellow readers, bloggers and writers. I was also introduced to unique content through this community. Though I try to write most days of the year, there are also times when I feel I can't write anymore because I can't think of anything. I would either just blank out or be overwhelmed with my personal life and a full-time job. During moments like these, Blogchatter comes up with a timely rescue by introducing challenges a...

As with every year, 2023 has been a decent reading year for many, including me. I can proudly say that this year, I read a variety of books from different genres across different regions, including traditional and indie authors. I believe you will agree when I say 2023 has been a year of cosy crime thrillers and nonfiction in the form of autobiographies and self-help books. Also, this year saw some of the greatest debuts and sequels from Indian and international authors. I would have read them all if I could. But sadly, I am just an average reader with 85 unread books on my shelf and 2500 wishlisted books in my TBR who reads at the rate of one page per day. Having said that, I somehow managed to finish my TBR challenge this year, and what more can be a highlight for a reader than reading some of the best books out there? If you would like to know the books that helped me complete my challenge,  Click here . Here is my post sharing my top 5 highlight books of the year 2023. 5. I AM ...

BOOK NAME: KILL THE LAWYERS AUTHOR NAME: SHISHIR VAYTTADEN GENRE: LEGAL THRILLER PUBLISHER: BLOOMSBURY  BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Kill-Lawyers-Shishir-Vayttaden/dp/935640464X BOOK COVER IMAGE  BOOK REVIEW The world of corporate law has always been a mystery to me. Though we get to see glimpses of their lives in movies and series, there are not many books that represent their world to the fullest. This book intrigued me with its eye-grabbing title and the synopsis.  The book starts off rather clumsily with heavy language and terminologies that are difficult to interpret. But as it moves ahead, the picture becomes clearer in comparison. I loved navigating through the wit and vigilance exhibited by Edamarra Edwin as he worked through a series of cases with his junior associate, Anjali Mathur and others. All the nine stories in the book are based on current social scenarios like demonetisation, stockbroking, tax evasion and so on. The chapters like Passi...

BOOK NAME: THE LIFE OF TOLKA AUTHOR NAME: Dr. NITIN CHOPRA, NIVEDITHA PREETH GENRE:  AUTOBIOGRAPHY PUBLISHER: POETRY WORLD ORG.  BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/-/hi/Nitin-Chopra/dp/9392507054 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW War is cruel, and though there's always a side that emerges victorious, their victory will always be written with the blood of thousands of innocent lives. The life of Tolka is based on the Russian war on Ukraine, the former slowly invading the latter since 2014. This book is an autobiographical account of the author's life in Ukraine who considers it his second home. He starts his humble journey from India to Ukraine with aspirations of becoming a doctor. But what awaits him is a life-changing event with severe repercussions. The author tries to find peace and hope by fulfilling his medical duties during the war while reminiscing about his good old days. I fell in love with the quotes in the book that were full of optimism and courage even ami...

BOOK NAME: WORLD'S WORST BEST GIRLFRIEND  AUTHOR NAME: DURJOY DATTA GENRE: ROMANCE PUBLISHER: PENGUIN INDIA BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Worlds-Worst-Girlfriend-Durjoy-Datta/dp/0143448366 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW Anchal and Daksh meet on Andaman Island during their vacation and realise they have a crush on each other even when trying to stabilise their failing relationships. They spend time together, though they know they aren't meant to be. But four years later, Aanchal meets Daksh again under different circumstances, and this time, they are still going through rough patches in their relationship and life, respectively.  What hits off as a fling for Aanchal ends up being the love of his life for Daksh, but they part ways because their priorities are different. Daksh wants to get married and raise babies, while Aanchal wants to soar high in her career, and she is still suffering the after-effects of her previous toxic relationship. They meet again three ...

BOOK NAME: DIVORCE IS NORMAL AUTHOR NAME: SHASVATHI SIVA GENRE: NONFICTION/ MEMOIR  PUBLISHER: PENGUIN INDIA BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Divorce-Normal-Shasvathi-Siva/dp/0143454676 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW The time has come for me to share the long-awaited review of this brilliant nonfiction, which is a mix of memoir and self-help. Diving into the book's very first chapter, I knew it would be a banger, and that's how it indeed was. From the start to the end, it was so informative and engaging as the author shared her experiences during her divorce proceedings. I took my time finishing this book, as I wanted to savour it slowly because of its informative value and the traumatic experiences shared in it.  Apart from her own experiences, she has also included stories of women who faced prejudices by society and their struggles during their divorce journey. I felt every word the author shared deeply, as even reading this book out in the open did not come no...

BOOK NAME: WAYEL KATI AUTHOR NAME: LINTHOI CHANU GENRE: MYTHOLOGY/FANTASY PUBLISHER: NIYOGI BOOKS BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Wayel-Kati-Quest-Seven-Guardians/dp/9391125875 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW Wayel Kati by Linthoi Chanu is a  Manipuri mythological folklore. Wayel kati -  the scissors of justice get stolen, and its seven protectors transform into demigods in the human realm to restore it where it belongs to avoid chaos. Laiba, the chief protector, helps Iwan, the boy king, assemble other protectors in the central kingdom, including Sana, the mother supreme and others. Their quest is disturbed at various points, and they fight against the odds to achieve their goal. There are also personal goals among the major ones which impede their pursuit. Did they succeed in finding the Wayel kati, and what happens to the protectors in the end? Read this to find out more. The book was very enjoyable and introduced me to various Manipuri cultures and ideologies....

BOOK NAME: THE BEAUTY OF YOUR FACE AUTHOR NAME: SAHAR MUSTAFAH GENRE: HISTORICAL FICTION  PUBLISHER: LEGEND PRESS BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Beauty-Your-Face-Sahar-Mustafah/dp/1789559731 BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW I read this book as a part of the Read for Palestine and Palestinian Voices campaign and am so happy I chose it. From the very first line, I knew this book would be a five-star read, and it didn't deviate even a bit throughout. The author looks back at her roots as an American born to Palestinian parents and brings out the raw emotions through her words. One must accept that anyone who has a voice and a medium will speak and must speak for the world to know about the oppressed, no matter who they are or where they live.  The book oscillates between Afaf's childhood, when she has no memory of her mother's homeland - Palestine and adulthood, when she fights deep-rooted Islamophobia every day. Afaf, the principal of the Muslim girls' school in C...

BOOK NAME: SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE AUTHOR NAME: CLAIRE KEEGAN GENRE: HISTORICAL FICTION  PUBLISHER: FABER BOOKS BOOK BUY LINK:   https://www.amazon.in/Small-Things-These-Claire-Keegan-ebook/dp/B08W8TWWFQ BOOK COVER IMAGE BOOK REVIEW Have you ever wondered if books less than 110 pages make an impact in a way that even the chunkier ones do not manage to? Well, what if I told you this is one among those books with fewer words but a powerful, hard-hitting theme? The book reads like Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist, where one will struggle to understand its purpose and the characters until they reach the end, which will leave them flustered and asking for more. The core of the book is kindness and how to find it in simple gestures.  It's 1985, and the small Irish town is beaming to welcome Christmas soon. Bill Furlong is a happy man as it's the busiest season for his coal and timber business. Furlong, who was born to a "fallen woman", is so determined to find who his f...